Flademian Monarchy 11: Dalton, the Desolate Man

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7 Years Later..

Dahlia was impatiently tapping her fingers on table, waiting for her turn to cross-examine the witness. It was supposed to be an easy trial, but that was also what she thought about the deposition she did prior to that. She underestimated it that was why the case moved up to the court in the first place.

She didn't anticipate that the plaintiff would really want to end her client, the defendant, for a second chance at life. She couldn't say she blamed the plaintiff but, it was her duty to defend her client to the best of her ability.

It was a battle between a huband and wife that would soon to be exes. Now, they're fighting about their children's custody and the other party already established how good of a wife Esther, the plaintiff was to her client.

Now, it was time. She stood up and approached the stand and smiled at the witness. Dahlia didn't want her to stutter when she answer her questions.

"I only have a couple of questions for you so I want you answer it as truthful as possible, okay?" She smiled. One of the few tricks she learned from Oxford Law, that the more she tried to convince the witness to relax in the stand, the more they wouldn't. "How would you describe Roberto as a father?" She started.

Esther hesitantly replied but she answered anyway, the Dahlia wanted the question to be answered. "Mabait siya. Responsable at talagang maasahan pagdating sa mga bata." Sabi ng ginang.

"How 'bout financial obligations? Baka naman hindi nagsusustento ng tama si Roberto kaya nandito tayo ngayon sa korte at sinusubukan nating tanggalan ng karapatan si Roberto maging ama sa mga anak ninyo?!" She said, slightly raising her voice.

She was getting irritated. She hated doing this, specially to women she knew who was doing these just to be freed. She hated that Esther was not her client. Esther shook her head and started crying.

"Objection! She's leading the witness!"

"Sustained." Said the judge, tapping his gavel to the block. Ilang beses tumikhim si Dahlia, sinubukang pakalmahin ang sarili. She hated this and it would be better if the trial would be soon over.

"I'll ask you again, Esther. Was Robert ever been a bad father to you children?" She asked. She saw Esther's tears were falling again while shaking her head.

"I've no further questions for now, Your Honor." She said. She knew she won a huge point for her client but not a single bit of it brought her joy, nor satisfaction.

"ANO-" Ni hindi na natapos pa ni Bert ang itatanong nito sa kanya bilang abogado ay suntok agad sa mukha nito ang isinalubong niya rito. She grabbed him by the collar and pushed him to the wall.

"You fucking liar!" Dahlia angrily said. "Lie to me again and swear to you that you'll never see your children again!" Nang bahagyang kumalma at binitiwan rin niya ang kuwelyo nito at bahagyang dumistansiya.

"Ano bang nangyari, ba't galit na galit ka?" Marahil, dala parin ng guilt ng ginawa nito sa kanya noon, kahit murahin at saktan niya ito ay mababa ang tono nito kapag siya ang kausap ngayon. It was his guilt that made him like that towards her.

Nang makaalis ito at makapag-trabaho sa ibang bansa noon ay talagang nagbago ang buhay ni Bert. Sa loob lamang ng tatlong taon na pagtatrabaho nito ay nakaipon na ito at nakapagpatayo ng sariling auto repair shop at mabilis nagsanga-sanga ang branches niyon at tuluyan na ngang gumaan ang buhay ng dati niyang kaibigan.

Naging walanghiya man ito sa kanya kung tutuusin ay hindi naman maku-kwestiyon ang pagpapahalaga nitong mapagaan ang buhay ng pamilya nito. Iyon na siguro ang pinaka-magandang naging bunga ng kanyang desisyon noong huwag itong ipakulong.